READY, SET, GO – car2go Chicago to launch service in July

Starting July 25, 2018, Chicagoans will join over three million car2go members in 24 other cities around the world that enjoy the many benefits of car rentals by the minute without the increasing hassles and expense of city car ownership.

car2go car sharing puts the “go” in Chicago

Chicago, the third largest city in the United States, boasts a population of nearly three million people – 800,000 of which do not own a personal vehicle. The reason behind the low car-ownership? Chicago has one of the most robust public transportation systems in the country, and a simple-to-navigate downtown grid that is easily accessible via walking or biking.

In fact, Chicago has the third lowest rate of personal car ownership and the third highest rate of public transit use in the United States. Until now, there has been one important transportation option missing in Chicago: free-float carsharing. But starting on July 25th, Chicagoans will have another convenient and affordable option to get from point A to Z, and all the letters in between.

Even without prior presence, car2go’s car sharing app is opened in Chicago 10,000 times each month, or about 360 times a day. That leaves no doubt that the people of Chicago – and car2go members visiting Chicago from other car2go cities – want and expect car2go there. Chicagoans can now register for a car2go membership at https://www.car2go.com/US/en/chicago.

A new way to get around in Chicago

Free-floating carshare models like car2go differ from other car clubs and car rental services by offering one-way trips without having to return car2go vehicles to fixed locations or by a certain time, unlike other carshare or car rental services currently operating in Chicago.

Chicagoans will have the advantage to rent a premium vehicle like a Mercedes-Benz CLA or GLA, or the perfect car to park in a crowded downtown area with smart fortwo. A healthy mix of both rental options – 200 smart fortwos, 113 Mercedes-Benz CLAs, and 87 Mercedes-Benz GLAs – will be available throughout the car2go Chicago Home Area.

The Chicago Home Area includes 29 square miles, extending from Cermak north to Foster, and from Kimball and Homan eastward to portions of Lake Michigan.

car2go members in Chicago can view, reserve, and access car2go cars via car2go’s award winning mobile app, available on iPhone and Android smartphone devices. Chicagoans can register for free and receive $15 in car2go credit using the code CHI2018. The offer is valid through August 23, 2018 after which new car2go members will only pay a standard one-time $5 sign up cost, in addition to their use of the car2go vehicle, whether that be by-the-minute or by using the Trip Package that is best suited for them.

car2go will be the newest and best way to help Chicagoans to rent a car when they need one without the expense and inconvenience that can often come with city car ownership or car rental agencies.

The average cost of car ownership per AAA, is $8,469, while the typical average cost of using a car2go per year is only $3,898. That’s a savings of over $4,500; money that can instead be saved, used to rent that better apartment, go on that nice vacation or help put that down payment in on a home.

And car2go members don’t have to worry about paying for fuel, insurance, maintenance, or parking expenses either.

Benefits for all Chicagoans

With 400 shared vehicles being deployed onto the streets of Chicago, one might wonder what adding additional cars does to already-heavy traffic and congestion in the Windy City. There’s very good news to share: free-float carshare has a tangible, positive impact on road congestion and air quality.

Recent research by the University of California at Berkeley proves that car2go’s free-floating model actually helps to mitigate traffic congestion, resulting in an overall reduction of air pollution, and also integrates well with existing transportation ecosystems like Chicago’s mass transit system and the Divvy bikeshare program.

The addition of car2go to existing transportation options in Chicago means that up to 11 privately owned automobiles per car2go car could be removed from congested Chicago roadways. Recent research shows that rideshare companies do the opposite.

In July, Chicagoans will have the ability to navigate their city in style, and there’s nothing more stylish than arriving to one of the many Chicago hotspots with ease and affordability, all while being environmentally and socially conscious.

Electric bikes and electric scooters are popping up on city corners all around the world. How does car2go coexist with these new micro mobility solutions? D.C. General Manager Aaron Landry and Austin Market Specialist Nick Vetsch have the answers.

Since expanding to North America in 2010, car2go has grown up in so many different ways. After talking to employees who have been at car2go the longest, it’s easy to see the impact the service has had.

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The car2go blog is all about our carsharing service. The authors of this blog are employees from all around the globe. They are working in all different kinds of departments and teams and share their own impressions and opinions in their articles. The topics of this blog are our users, product information, services and sneak peeks behind the scenes of the company.